


Come on princess, make some noise

by heartequals (savvygambols)



Category: Marvel 616, Young Avengers
Genre: F/F, Texts From Last Night, oh boy this is silly!, young adult existentialism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3669009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savvygambols/pseuds/heartequals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(917) So America said if we have sex she’d take me to Build A Bear. My virginity is so worth a trip to build a bear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come on princess, make some noise

**Author's Note:**

> Big ups to the esteemed mods for organizing this!
> 
> When I think about Kate and America, “Boyfriend” by Justin Bieber echoes all through my head. Good times!
> 
> Original text:  
> (734): So he said if we had sex he'd take me to Build A Bear. My virginity is so worth a trip to build a bear.  
> (810): You're 20.  
> (734): IT'S BUILD A BEAR!

(917) So America said if we have sex she’d take me to Build A Bear. My virginity is so worth a trip to build a bear.  
(1-917) You’re 20.  
(917) IT’S BUILD A BEAR!  
(917) Also I’m 21.  
(917) Also I’m not a virgin.  
(1-917) KATIE KATE I CAN’T KNOW THAT

 

;;

 

So. Kate’s going to have sex with America. In exchange for Build A Bear. Frankly, she’d have done it without Build A Bear, but whatever makes America feel better. About having sex with her. They haven’t like, set a date, but it’s happening. At some point. Sex. With America.

Kate picks up her phone from the kitchen counter and calls Billy. “Help,” she says when he picks up.

“What,” says Billy. His voice is all gravelly like he’s just woken up, but possibly he has; it’s 8 in the morning and Kate doesn’t really know what else a teenage boy would be doing besides sleeping.

“America and I are going to have sex,” she says. She gets up and starts pacing the kitchen.

“Cool?”

“I’m worried,” she says. In an effort to make herself stop pacing, she starts making her second pot of coffee of the day.

“It’s going to be fine,” says Billy, yawning.

“What if it’s not though? What if it ruins everything? What if it goes so badly that we get awkward and can never be alone in a room together again? What if it goes so badly that we never be in a room together at all?” Kate takes a deep breath and starts pacing again. She’s totally lost her cool.

“Wow,” says Billy. “One second.” There’s a knocking sound, like he’s hit his bedroom wall. A moment later she hears a door creak open and Teddy say, somewhat muffled, “this better be important.”

“Kate’s having an existential crisis about sleeping with America,” says Billy.

“It’s not existential, I’m not questioning my existence or the meaninglessness of the world. I am being very meaningful. This entire situation is very, very meaningful.” She knows she’s being dramatic but she can’t stop herself. “It might be _too_ meaningful.”

“We missed the Existentialism unit in English,” says Teddy. He’s louder now; Billy must have hit speakerphone. “What’s the problem with sleeping with America? I thought you wanted to sleep with America.”

“I do!” Kate stops pacing and glares at her coffeemaker. “Just, what if it makes everything different?”

“That’s unavoidable,” says Teddy.

“That’s how the world works,” Billy chimes in. “Everything changes.”

“You could make it not how the world works, Demiurge,” Kate points out.

“I could, but we’d probably all end up dead,” says Billy. “Kate, just have fun. Don’t overthink it. It’s just sex.”

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Teddy says. “Neither of you show up for midnight breakfast for a couple of weeks. That’s not so bad. It’ll be fine.” 

“Okay,” says Kate. “Fine. I will not overthink this. We will have perfectly serviceable sex, I will get a teddy bear, and everything will be fine.”

“Teddy bear?” says Billy.

“Oh, right,” says Kate. “She said she’d take me to Build A Bear if I had sex with her.”

Teddy starts laughing. Billy says, “Katie, really? She had to bribe you with Build A Bear?”

“I would have said yes even if she hadn’t offered Build A Bear,” Kate sulks. “But I’m not going to turn down Build A Bear either.”

“That’s totally a girlfriend move, you know that, right?”

“ _You_ never took me to Build A Bear,” says Billy and Kate can practically hear him poking Teddy’s chest. “I want a teddy be--nevermind.”

“Me and America having sex is totally different than you two going to Build A Bear,” she says, but it’s too late; the boys are no longer listening to her in favor of arguing about bad puns and whether Teddy counts a bear. She has to say their names a couple of times to get them to pay attention to her but by then she’s halfway to a panic attack over Build A Bear and Teddy and Billy are already making plans to go to FAO Schwarz later that day.

“What do I do?” she half-yells at them.

“Have sex,” says Teddy.

“Get your bear,” says Billy.

“Oh my god,” she says. She picks up the coffee pot and considers pulling a Clint and just drinking straight from the pot. It’s not like she can get _more_ pathetic.

“Kate, I’m sure it will be great and you two will have a great afternoon or evening or weekend or however long it takes with girls,” says Billy. “Just enjoy it.”

“Don’t think too hard about it,” says Teddy. “It’s America, anyway, there probably aren’t more-than-sex implications. She’s probably just trying to be nice. She probably takes everyone she has sex with to Build A Bear.”

“Okay,” says Kate. “You’re right. America’s weird like that, I guess. I’ll just enjoy it.”

“That’s our girl. Get yours.”

“Are you coming to David’s tonight?” Billy asked. “For the Dog Cops marathon?” He pauses significantly. “America said she’s coming.”

“I said I’d take care of Lucky,” says Kate. “Clint’s out of town for the weekend.”

“Bring Lucky, David probably won’t mind. We were going to order pizza anyway.”

When they hang up, Kate starts wondering if the presence of a dog is cockblocking. Maybe she should make a date with America. A having-sex date with America.

Instead of doing the mature thing, like taking care of her problems, Kate decides to finish her coffee and lie on the floor and pretend it’s yoga.

 

;;

 

(917) I’m a gay sex virgin. I didn’t get a teddy bear for losing my straight virginity so I think I deserve a teddy bear for losing my gay sex virginity.  
(1-917) Why is this happening to me.  
(917) Except Teddy says Build A Bear is a girlfriend thing. Did you ever take any of your girlfriends to Build A Bear in exchange for sex?  
(917) Clint?  
(917) Clint.  
(917) Look Barton I’ve had to rescue your sad ass from at least three multi-borough walks of shame. You owe me a sex crisis conversation.  
(1-917) Follow your heart, girly girl. It’s what I do.  
(917) NOT HELPFUL.

 

;;

 

She’s sort of doing a handstand and sort of just leaning against the wall upside down when there’s a knock on her balcony door. Startled, she tries to do that thing that Bobbi does where she just sort of gracefully bends and rolls to her feet. She falls on her face, but the balcony is on the other side of the house so there’s no one there to see it.

Expecting something awful has finally found her living space, she grabs her bow and stalks to the balcony and sees...America. Covered in dirt and space grossness and possibly blood. It’s great look on her.

She sets her bow against the wall and pulls open the door. “Chavez, what the hell happened to you?”

“Got in a fight,” says America. She grins, looking fierce and happy. It’s one of Kate’s favorite smiles in the entire multi-verse. “Can I use your shower? Mine blew up.”

Feeling slightly dazed, Kate lets her in. “Take off your boots,” she manages, because there’s stardust or something all over them.

America takes off her boots and proceeds to track whatever it is all over Kate’s white carpet anyway on her way to the bathroom. Kate’s not even mad.

“I can wash your clothes,” Kate says, trying to be a good host even while her brain shorted out somewhere around America asking to use her shower.

America looks down at herself as if noticing the state of her clothes for the first time. “Oh,” she says. “That would be great.”

She strips in front of Kate without the least bit of embarrassment and hesitation. Kate stays vertical, somehow. America is...everything. America is perfect.

America hands Kate her clothing and says, “Thanks, chica.” She turns and walks into the bathroom, doesn’t shut the door, and Kate almost cries.

She throws all of America’s clothes in the washer, noting with some slightly-hysterical interest that even America’s underwear has blue and red stars on it, and returns to the bedroom to change out of yoga pants or something. She has a guest over that she might sleep with sometime in the future; she should look her best or, at least, not her worst. She needs an outfit that says _we should totally have casual sex in the future and then you can take me to Build A Bear but no rush or anything--_

“You know, princess,” calls America from the bathroom, “you could join me.”

Kate nearly rips her shirt in an attempt to get it off as quickly as possible.

 

;;

 

(917) America’s taking me to Build A Bear.  
(1-917) Mazel tov.

 

;;

 

Shortly after America’s clothes have dried and she’s left to do intergalactic superhero things before they meet up again at David’s, Kate gets a call from Loki, of all people.

“Loki!” she says. She can’t remember if she’s supposed to still be mad at him or not. She hasn’t heard from him since--well, a long time, anyway. She doesn’t think she’s too angry at him anymore.

“Kate Bishop,” says Loki. “Don’t break Miss America’s heart.”

“What?” she says. She doesn’t think she broke America’s heart. America may have bruised her knees when they fell off the bed, but Kate has rugburn on her elbows so it evens out.

“What I mean,” says Loki, “is that she thinks very highly of you. Perhaps too highly, if you understand me. Take care with her rare and admittedly bizarre affections.”

“How do you know what America thinks of me?” Kate demands. She’s staring at herself in the bathroom mirror and wondering how America exactly got her hair to stick up the way it is now. Like, there’s hairpulling and then there’s _hairpulling_.

“We get coffee with some regularity,” says Loki dismissively. Kate can’t decide how to feel about that. She thought she was the only one who got coffee with America with some regularity.

“You talk about me?” she asks. “That’s weird.”

“We catch up, talk about our feelings, one time she punched me in the neck and left me incapacitated for several hours -- we’re friends, you know.”

America did things to Kate’s neck too, but she doesn’t think that’s the same thing.

“All I’m saying is,” says Loki, “in my role of the closest person America has to a best friend, I ask you not toy with her.”

“I’m not toying with her,” Kate says. “I would never! She’s taking me to Build A Bear. We’re friends.”

“She doesn’t take just anyone to Build A Bear,” Loki cautions.

“I didn’t know she’d ever heard of Build A Bear,” Kate admits.

“She only discovered it a month ago. She has, in fact, never taken anyone to Build A Bear. You are the first, and only, person she will probably ever take to Build A Bear.” Loki sounds vaguely concerned, which makes Kate anxious because she’s only ever heard Loki sound concerned when everything is about to go to shit.

“Loki,” she says. “Are you saying America wants to take me to Build A Bear in a serious, steady way? Not in a forever way, but in a not-just-once way?”

“That is what I am saying. There will be other girls, I’m sure, but none quite like you.”

Kate stares at herself in the mirror, looks at the state of her hair, and her body, and all the things America did to her that morning, and says, “Oh.”

“You didn’t know that?” Loki actually sounds concerned now. “You really don’t know her at all, do you? Oh great, this bodes well.”

Kate’s over with talking about her sex-and-romance life with Loki. She totally knows America and Loki is only probably fucking with her a little bit, tone of voice be damned. “I’m done with this conversation,” she tells him. “We should get coffee sometime. Or, hey, if you promise not to talk about Build A Bear, you should come over to David’s tonight. We’re having a Dog Cops marathon.”

“No,” says Loki and he sounds kind of wistful, “I think I’d better not. I have...plans.”

“The hell you do,” says Kate. She’s missed teasing him but this is just sad.

“I do too,” says Loki. “Goodbye, Kate. Don’t break America’s heart.” He hangs up.

“You don’t get to end this conversation!” Kate yells at her now-silent phone. She’s tempted to call him back, but it’s not worth it. 

She sets her phone on the counter and makes a face at herself in the mirror. She needs to make a date with America to go to Build A Bear. She needs to tell America about going to Build A Bear regularly and not totally futz it up. If America’s in, Kate’s in. Kate is totally 100% in.

She makes another face at the mirror and grabs her hairbrush.

 

;;

 

(1-917) Name your Build A Bear bear after me.  
(917) GROSS BARTON.  
(1-917) NOT LIKE THAT. Girly girl, you’ve got a dirty mind.  
(917) Learned from the best.  
(1-917) You’re welcome.

 

;;

 

They’re like six episodes into the first season and it’s one in the morning. Everyone took a vow that no one gets to leave until they finish the first season but the pizza made them sleepy and David’s fridge is out of soda.

“Not it on a caffeine run,” says David, a little dazed, pressing pause.

The rest of them tap their noses instantly but Kate’s a little distracted by Lucky possibly trying to eat a pizza box, or at least the cheese stuck to the box, so she’s the last to tap her nose. When the rest of them point at her, she groans.

“I want a latte,” says David, pulling out his wallet.

“Coffee with espresso,” chime Billy and Tommy. They immediately start arguing over who pays for that jinx.

“Chai tea,” says Teddy.

“Black coffee,” says Eli. “No wait, macchiato.”

“I just want a cookie,” says Noh-Varr with a shrug.

“I’ll go with you,” says America getting up. “No way you can carry all that by yourself.”

“Thank you,” says Kate gratefully. She has great balance, but she doesn’t want to test it on the boys’ drinks this late at night.

They leave David’s apartment, Lucky trailing behind them happily. It’s cool out, but not so cold that Kate regrets leaving her jacket on the couch. She walks close to America anyway, reveling in being alone with her.

They walk to the coffee shop and back debating the entire time whether the first season of Dog Cops is better than the second. A block away from David’s apartment, Kate says, because they really need to talk about it and she doesn’t think she can stand another six hours of Dog Cops without talking about it, “so...Build A Bear.”

“We don’t have to go,” says America quickly. “That was a dumb idea. You’re 21.” She speaks so quickly that Kate actually turns to look at her. America stares at the street ahead of them, face blank.

“No way, America,” says Kate, bumping her shoulder against America’s. “You owe me a teddy bear. I want a teddy bear for losing my gay virginity with you.”

America snorts. “Okay, princess.”

“I’m serious,” says Kate. “I want a teddy bear.” She pauses, then: “I want a lot of teddy bears.”

America stops short. “How many teddy bears?” she says, tilting her head.

“Innumerable teddy bears. Not for the rest of my life, obviously, that would be weird at this point, but more than two. Or three.” Kate tries for a smile but she’s rapidly losing her ability to make herself understood so it probably comes off a little panicked. “I don’t want you to go broke, but you know. Teddy bears are great. I like teddy bears. I don’t collect teddy bears or anything, but you know, it gets lonely. At night. I could use a teddy bear. Or three.”

This is the least coherent Kate has ever been in her life. In her defense, it’s been a long day. But America is smiling at her, so Kate’s probably said something right somewhere in there. “More than three?” America says. “I could probably afford that.”

“I could buy you a teddy bear too,” offers Kate, relieved.

“I don’t like teddy bears,” says America. “But you could buy me other things.” She smirks. “I know you’ve got money for other things.”

“I think my bank account can handle that,” says Kate and she leans forward and kisses America. It’s not life-defining and starts nothing they’ll need to finish immediately but it’s sweet and, somehow, more important than any kiss they’ve shared that day already. 

Kate thinks _this is going to be good_ and then _I’m excited_. Balancing the tray of coffee in one hand, she touches America’s cheek, feeling America smile against her.

When they break the kiss, America is still smiling. “Kate,” she says, shaking her head slightly, “I think we’re gonna have fun together.”

“Me too,” says Kate. Lucky, the total cockblocker, licks the back of her leg and Kate drops her hand from America’s cheek with a wince. “We should get back in. We’ve got six episodes left and the coffee is getting cold.”

“Build A Bear tomorrow?” America offers.

“Yes,” says Kate. She’s not sure if it’s a euphemism or not, but she doesn’t quite care. She’s too happy that there’s Build A Bear at all.

America opens the door for Kate and ushers her in. “You can’t name any of the bears after me though,” she says as they walk down the hall to David’s apartment. “That’s too weird.”

“Deal,” says Kate. She knocks on the door.

America kisses her again, quick and light and oddly tender, before ducking away just as David opens it.

“Don’t think I didn’t see that,” says David, taking the coffee tray and turning around. “Congratulations,” he calls over his shoulder.

America winks at Kate before following him in. Kate grins.

 

;;

 

(1-917) Have you fed Lucky today or are you at Build A Bear?  
(917) Better than that. We took Lucky to Build A Bear.  
(1-917) You didn’t.  
(1-917) Kate?!?!  
(917) We named the bear Clint and Lucky tore its head off.  
(1-917) Katie I was JOKING ABOUT THAT.  
(917) You know Barton, you should really give Lucky more chew toys.  
(1-917) Kate!!  
(917) We’ll get him a new one, don’t worry.  
(1-917) ...just don’t have sex in my apartment, okay?  
(917) Oops.  
(1-917) KATE WHY  
(917) Just kidding! Mostly.  
(1-917) Kate.  
(917) <3  
(1-917) Yeah, I miss you too.


End file.
